First military member receives AHRMM’s 2006 Leadership Award Published Sept. 15, 2006 By Master Sgt. Kimberly Spencer 59th Medical Wing Public Affairs LACKLAND AIR FORCE BASE, Texas (AETCNS) -- The Association for Healthcare Resource and Materials Management has named a 59th Medical Wing member as the recipient of the 2006 George R. Gossett Leadership Award. Col. Marc Sager, the administrator of the 59th Medical Wing, Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, received the award in recognition of his efforts to advance educational opportunities and experiences for Air Force medical logisticians. "I was very honored as the first military member to win this prestigious award. I take it as a recognition of what the logistics personnel in all three services contribute to the profession of materials management, what we in the military call logistics," Colonel Sager said. The award, the association's highest honor, is presented in memory of George R. Gossett, an early president of the association. The Leadership Award is given to an individual who has demonstrated an extraordinary level of leadership and professional competence in the supply chain field, advanced the state of the art in healthcare materials management or made other significant contributions to AHRMM. Colonel Sager opened the door for materials and services personnel to hold government contracting warrants and streamlined acquisition processes for Air Force medical treatment facilities. He has also been a strong advocate for providing institutional memberships to AHRMM and introduced the Certified Materials and Resource Professional credential to Air Force Medical Service Corps officers so they may further fulfill their advancement criteria. With a military career that spans over 20 years, Colonel Sager has served across the United States in a variety of healthcare facilities and staff positions, as well as in Korea and the Middle East. Many of these facilities were the Air Force's front-line operations. As chief of Air Force Medical Logistics, Colonel Sager was responsible for the development, construction and deployment of mobile medical assemblages in support of ongoing worldwide operations, including Afghanistan and Iraq. "Colonel Sager is most deserving of the Association's highest award. Not only is he a military hero in every sense of the word, he has also proven that it is possible to successfully transition from logistics and supply chain management into hospital administration," said Robert Perry, AHRMM president. "He is living proof that a logistician's knowledge and skills are ideal for senior leadership positions in healthcare." Colonel Sager is currently deployed to Balad Air Base, Iraq, where he is the 332nd Expeditionary Medical Group deputy commander at the Air Force Theater Hospital.